The Hilo Adult Day Center, a joint venture between Hawaii Island Adult Care Inc. and the Hawaii Island Community Development Corp., was awarded $2.34 million by the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Inc.
“Words cannot express our gratitude to the trustees of the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation for their generous gift,” said Paula Uusitalo, HIAC executive director. “The Weinberg Foundation’s largess will enable completion of the construction project and positively affect senior lives in Hilo for the next 50-plus years.”
The Weinberg Foundation has so far funded $1,775,000 and the final $565,000 payment will be made at the completion of the project.
Hilo Adult Day Center’s new building, located on Mohouli Street and above Komohana Street, will feature large open spaces for art/craft activities and physical fitness geared to elders along with quiet indoor spaces for reading, socializing and relaxing. Project features include a fully certified kitchen to provide hot meals, outdoor gardens and a meandering path.
The project is under construction by Isemoto Construction Corp. and is about 50 percent complete. Construction is expected to be completed in February 2018.
The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Adult Day Center will complement Hawaii Island Community Development Corp.’s existing and planned senior housing in the Mohouli Senior Complex with its 182 units at full build-out. The first phase of 60 senior housing units was completed in 2014, the second phase with 30 units is nearing completion this month and funding for the last increment of 92 units has been secured from the state Housing Finance and Development Corp.
The total budget for the Adult Day Center project is $8,586,000. While the building will be completed early next year, HIAC, the parent organization, will still require an additional $580,000 to pay for furniture, fixtures and equipment.
For information about how to donate to the capital campaign, contact Uusitalo at 961-3747, ext. 105, or Keith Kato, executive director of HICDC at 319-2422, or visit www.hawaiiislandadultcare.org.
